Harsh words from the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association and El Paso Mayor John Cook against a nightclub owner have led to a defamation lawsuit against them.

On Thursday, Mike Armstrong, owner of the Three Legged Monkey, filed a lawsuit against Cook claiming slander and defamation.

Armstrong is at the center of an ongoing battle with the city and the neighborhood association to operate his bar at Hawkins Plaza. He is currently suing three residents from the neighborhood association.

"This whole thing has shook me down to my core," Armstrong said. "His statements had a huge impact on how people view the establishment. He's the leader of El Paso, and for him to not only check off my establishment, (but) he goes on to say that there are problems with underage drinking. And that was irresponsible."

Armstrong said he decided to add Cook to the suit after the mayor stated that the Three Legged Monkey was not a "first class" operation because it was serving underage patrons that were getting arrested. These statements were made on air during an interview with Channel 7-KVIA, the suit states.

"In the nine years of business, no one has been arrested on anything like that here," Armstrong said. "His statements are false and damaging."

Armstrong's suit comes after David Cooper, of Monaco Entertainment, on Monday filed a motion to sue the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association.

Last year Cooper proposed to open the Miami Social Club, a salsa bar, at Hawkins Plaza. But he was met with resistance from residents, city representatives and police.

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In response, Cooper filed suit against the city, the mayor, City Manager Joyce Wilson and city Reps. Emma Acosta, Ann Morgan Lilly, Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega, and four area residents over what he claims were civil-rights violations of the Fourth and 14th Amendments, equal protection, defamation and tortious interference.

The suit was filed on Dec. 3.

Cooper said he decided to file a suit against the association because Mark Benitez, president of the association, had spoken on the association's behalf.

In addition, Cooper alleged that the statements and resistance had cost him his business partnership with Matt Meagher, owner of Wet Ultra Lounge.

In statement of concern to Cooper, Meagher wrote, "I have elected to remove myself from Monaco Entertainment Group LLC and the business operations moving forward at the property located at 1550 Hawkins. É It is my heart felt opinion that the City of El Paso and its residents of the Hawkins Plaza and other leaders have made doing business in El Paso, TX a task that is not worth my financial gain or financial input into that community. Small business should be welcomed by any city government and the fact that the city of El Paso wants no resolution to past issues and wants to stump the growth of small business is appalling."

As a result, the suit has prompted the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association to seek a lawyer and insurance. The insurance would protect the association from future lawsuits said Bart Kennedy, second vice president of the association.

On Thursday, during the association's regularly scheduled monthly meeting, Kennedy announced that having the insurance would also cost about $900 a year.

"If you've noticed and heard in the news, Mr. Cooper has filed a suit against us -- the association as a whole," Kennedy said. "This would mostly protect the board members."

While members were in favor, Benitez noted that the money to purchase the insurance had to be collected.

"Right now we've got $2,000 in the bank for operational expenses," Benitez said. "And we can allot some funds from there toward the insurance. But we do need to determine how to raise funds for it in the future."

Members then asked association board members whether they had already sought a lawyer for representation.

City Rep. Emma Acosta suggested that the association seek representation from Eduardo Miranda, a civil and criminal lawyer who lives in the neighborhood.

"I can give him a call and ask him if he can represent the association," Acosta said to Benitez.

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